Fish line casting gun



Oct. 21, 1958 B. E. MAXWELL FISH LINE CASTING GUN Filed Sept. 20, 1956 ill 6" mm 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States FISH LDIE CASTING GUN Boger E. Maxwell, Aberdeen, N. C. rlpplication September 20, 1956, Serial No. 610,987 -1-Claim. -(Cl. 124-11) atent ice V .end connected to a combined valve and pressure gauge portable having a source of power associated therewith.

vand which can be adjusted for elevation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fish line casting gun of the class described above having means associated therewith for governing the length of the cast. Another object of the invention is to provide a fish line casting gun of the class described above which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use and which is durable in operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal crosssection taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse crosssection taken along the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal crosssection taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the casting plug.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the ram rod.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a portable frame supported on a pair of wheels 11 and moved by means of a tongue 12 having a cross bar handle 13 secured to its outer end. The tongue 12 is jointed at 14 and secured together by means of a set screw 15.

The portable frame 10 has mounted thereon a gasoline engine 16 and a pneumatic pump 17 driven by the gasoline engine 16 by means of a belt 18.

A support plate 19 is secured to the cross bar handle 7 13 and braced thereon by means of an arm 20 extending at an angle to the tongue 12. A bracket 21 is pivotally mounted to the support p1ate19 by means of pivot bolt 22. Bracket 21 is bifurcated at its upper end and has pivotally mounted therein gear segment 23 driven by a Worm gear 24 journalled in the bracket 21.

A muzzle-loading gun barrel 25 is secured to the gear segment 23 and is provided with a flared mouth 26 for reasons to be assigned. A flexible hose 27 is secured to the pneumatic pump 17 at one end and has its opposite fitting 28 which is in turn coupled to the inner end-of-the .gun barrel 25 by means of a nipple 29.

Apressure gauge 30 is coupled to the combined valve and pressure gauge fitting .28for reasons to be assigned.

A handle 31 extends into the combined valve'and pressure gauge fitting, 28 to'operate the valve (not shown) containedtherein to'communicate the nipple 29 and flexible hose 27 to theatmosphere when desired.

Anboss .32 extends radially outwardly from the gun barrel 25 adjacent to but spaced from the inner end thereof. The boss 32 is provided with a bore 33 communicating with the interior .o'fthe gun barre1 25 and extending completely through the boss 32. The outer end of the boss 32 is provided with a threaded reduced extension 34 which is adapted to receive ;a seal bushing35 having .a rubber sealing element 36 contained therein.

A shaft 37-is arranged in-the bore .33 .foraxial movementtherein with the sealing'element 36 preventing the escape of air from the gun barrel 25 through the boss 32. The shaft 37 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel circumferential grooves 33 and 39 adjacent to but spaced from'the inner end of the shaft 37. The outer end of the shaft 37 is pivotally secured at 40 to the forward end of a lever arm 41 pivotally secured to a bracket 42 carried on the rear end of the gun barrel 25. A handle 43 is secured to the rear end of the lever 41 and provides means whereby the shaft 37 may be reciprocated axially in the bore 33.

A detent fitting 44 is threadedly'engaged in the side of the boss 32 and has a bore 45 communicating with the bore 33. A ball detent 46 is positioned in the inner end of the bore 45 in position to engage a selected one of the circumferential grooves 38 and 39 under pressure from a coil spring 47 engaged thereagainst and extending outwardly in the bore 45. A set screw 48 engages the outer end of the spring 47 and is utilized to adjust the tension thereof so as to vary the effect of the ball 46 with relation to the circumferential grooves 38 and 39.

A projectile plug 49 is formed with a generally cylindrical body and a flared cup like piston ring 50 of a size to engage the bore of the gun barrel 25 as shown in Figure 4. The plug 49 has a boss 51 on its forward end to which a fish line 52 is attached.

In Figure 6, a ram rod 53 having a handle 54at one end is illustrated for reasons to be assigned.

In the use and operation of the invention, the Valve 31 is opened so as to vent the nipple 29 and the gun barrel 25 to the atmosphere. The plug 49 is attached to a fish line 52 and inserted in the gun barrel 25, the flared mouth 26 acting to compress the piston ring 50 as the plug 49 is inserted. The ram rod 53 is then used to force the plug 49 to the position shown in Figure 4, whereupon the handle 43 is raised and the shaft 37 engaged in front of the plug 49, as illustrated in Figure 4; The detent ball 46 then engages in the circumferential groove 38 to hold the shaft 37 in plug 49 engaging position. The valve 31 is then closed, and with the pneumatic pump 17 operating under power from the gasoline engine 16, air is pumped through the hose 27 into the gun barrel 25 behind the plug 49.

When sufficient air pressure, as can be determined from the air pressure gauge 30, has been pumped by the pump 17, the plug 49 is released by depressing the handle 43. raising the shaft 37 into the bore 33 permitting the plug 49 to be expelled from the gun barrel 25 by means of the air pressure therein. Obviously, the opposite end of the fish line 52 is connected in a normal manner to a fish reel and fish pole of conventional construction.

When it is desired to cast another plug 49, the pneumaticpump 17 can be permitted to operate while the gun is being loaded since the opening of the valve 31 will vent the nipple 29 and permit the plug 49 to be inserted within the band 25 without stopping the pump 17.

:Variations in the distancecastean be obtained by varyingthe pressure in the system and also by varying the weight of the plug 49. Elevation can be adjusted through the gear segment 23 and gear 24 while the aim can be adjusted through the bracket 21 pivoting about the support plate 19.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claim. i

What is claimed is: A fish line casting gun comprising a muzzle-loading gun barrel, means connecting theinner end of said gun barrel to a source of air under pressure, a shaft extending transversely of said gun barrel for holding a projectile in and releasing it from said gun barrel, a bracket formed on said gun barrel and projecting radially outwardly therefrom, a lever arm pivoted to said bracket and having one end connected to the outer end of said shaft whereby said shaft may be moved inwardly and outwardly of said gun barrel, said shaft having a pair of spaced circumferential grooves formed therein, a spring biased detent ball mounted in said gun barrel adjacent said shaft for releasably engaging in said grooves locking said shaft in adjusted position, and means for controlling the air entering said gun barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,182,369 Barron; Dec. 5, 1939 2,305,176 Littman V Dec. 15, 1942 2,409,653 Amdur Oct. 22, 1946 2,504,525 Holderness Apr. 18, 1950 2,526,018 Foster et a1. Oct. 17, 1950 2,587,687 Beyers Mar. 4, 1952 2,635,599 Wells Apr; 21, 1953 2,723,656 Andina Nov. 15, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Italy r. May 7, 1951 

